"While the Syrian government has confirmed that they have detained her, we demand that Dorothy is returned to her loved ones. We know that Syria will continue to treat her with the respect she deserves," the family said in a statement.

"We know that Dorothy is staying strong. She is doing her part. Let's do ours to ensure her safe return. We need her released immediately and returned to us."

The former Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist and feature writer is based in Qatar and recently reported from Japan.